“Kael.”Kael stood a few steps away, clearly not expecting to see her there. His jaw tightened, and for a second, he looked like he might leave.“I wasn’t watching you,” he said quickly, his eyes scanning everywhere but her face. “I didn’t know you’d be here. I just came to catch my breath.”Aria didn’t move. “Then breathe.”Kael stayed still.She didn’t move either.He looked away, clearly tensed. He took a step back, then paused. His hand brushed his hair. “Why do you always look at me like that?” he asked suddenly.Aria narrowed her eyes. “Like what?”“Like you’ve already figured me out.”“Maybe I have,” she said, her voice dry.“You don’t say much,” he added. “You just… look. And somehow, it feels like judgment.”“It’s not judgment,” Aria replied flatly. “It’s curiosity.”“About what?”“You,” she said simply.He paused. Kael folded his arms. “Curious about what, exactly?”“Why you care so much for someone you’re trying so hard to stay away from.”Kael blinked.Then: “I’m not sta
Aria stepped into the dining hall, her pace steady. The dining room was quiet as always. Only the clinking of cutleries. One of the kitchen boys walked up to her and gestured toward a table to the right, where members of the Shadow guard were already seated. “You sit here now,” he said plainly, then walked away. Aria gave a small nod and moved to the indicated seat, not far from the center of the hall, but still noticeably distanced from the higher-ranking wolves. The elite Shadows had a separate table, closer to the front. A few warriors glanced at Aria as she sat, but no one said a word.Her tray was already laid out. She began to eat. Until she noticed, Kael wasn’t here.Her eyes looked over the high table again. She didn’t care.She ate quickly, stood and left. Selene noticed the empty seat the moment she stepped in. Her gaze swept the front of the room, searching, but Kael wasn’t there.He had been skipping meals since… She sat across Lucan, her jaw tightened. Across the ta
Kael sat at the edge of his bed. He hadn’t slept, not since the training session. His breakfast remained untouched on his table. He had it moved to his chamber this morning to reduce the tension in the hall and maybe miss a chance to see her. He had breakfast moved an hour earlier. He told the staff it was to avoid unnecessary tension between the warriors and the new recruit. But that was a lie. He did it for her. So her first day as a shadow could be peaceful. Kael stood and walked towards the window. He ran a hand through his hair, then down the back of his neck. His body ached; not from training, but from restraint. Every instinct told him to stay away. She was a stranger. A rogue. She had no business pulling his thoughts away from the things that mattered.And yet, He saw her everywhere.In the quiet. In the halls. In the way the younger wolves had started to glance at her with curiosity. The way Selene watched her like a detective.He hated how it affected him. She was dan
Aria stood, panting slowly. The blade still in her hand. They had fought for hours, with only short breaks in between. The shadows training was definitely ten times tougher than the regular training. Although, she had never had to go through the regular trainings, she just knew by instincts. The older woman she had fought with, sat across the ring. She wiped blood from her chin and dusted her cloak. From across the hall, Kael moved forward. The silence around him stretched. Heavy boots. Dark cloak. Arms behind his back.He stopped a few steps from her.“You held your ground.” She looked at him. “I tried.”Kael looked at her. “Don’t try. Win.”Her jaw tightened. “Yes, Alpha.”He looked around the room. “That’s all for today.”Just like that, everyone scattered. No unnecessary words. No lingering.The hall emptied slowly.Shadows murmured as they walked out of the hall. Some looked at Aria and gave a thumbs up. Most of them said nothing. She didn’t move yet. Her palms burned from th
Aria walked down the Alpha’s corridor, her footsteps slow and quiet. She curled her fingers into her palms, hoping no one saw her or threw direct questions at her. She slid into the hallway leading to her room. It was empty. That’s unusual. Wolves would normally swarm the hallway before breakfast, but today, not a single wolf. Aria walked into her room. Her eyes narrowed slightly. The room was deserted. She dropped her black cloak and sat on her bed. “I should use this peace while it lasts,” she thought, rolling up her hair. She rushed into the bathroom, and like everywhere else, it was empty too. She took her bath quickly and went back into the silent room. Aria sat on her bed, staring at her new uniform for a while. She ran her fingers over the cloak gently. The black clothes signified a new beginning. A vow. A commitment to the pack. She put on the uniform quickly, laced her boots and stood still for a moment, staring at her reflection in the mirror. “This was no longer so
Aria shifted under the blanket, staring at the plate now half empty on the Alpha’s table. Kael was sitting across the room, quiet, his arms crossed over his chest.He stood first. “You should lie down.”“I’m not sleepy,” she replied, her eyes fixed on him as he walked toward the bed.Kael stopped beside her, his gaze unreadable. “You don’t have to pretend with me.”Aria exhaled slightly. “I’m not pretending.”He sat on the edge, quiet again.After a second, she said, “You’ve been quiet since dinner.”“So have you.”“I’m not one to speak,” she murmured, adjusting the pillow behind her.Kael leaned back on one arm, closer now. “You’re leaving in the morning.”She nodded slowly. “Yes.”His eyes locked on hers, then lowered to her lips for a brief second before he looked away. Aria spoke before she could think. “Do you want me to stay?”“You shouldn’t have said that.”He didn’t answer right away. He just leaned forward, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek. His fingers lingered longe